art · life curation

5 Lessons from Amy Sherald, An American Success Story

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A few months back, the official portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama was unveiled and put on display at the National Portrait Gallery. The painter, Amy Sherald, quickly became a household name, as her unique portraiture captivated art appreciators and stirred discussion on what makes an “acceptable” political portrait.

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Michelle Obama as portrayed by Amy Sherald (I took this photo a few weeks ago)

But today, I’m not talking about whether Sherald’s painting was aesthetically pleasing or suitable for a First Lady (though, after seeing it in person, I agree that it is both beautiful and a fitting tribute to Mrs. Obama). I want to talk about Sherald and what makes her the ultimate American success story. Here are five lessons we can learn from Amy Sherald:

  • Be committed to your craft.

Sherald studied art in her undergraduate and graduate years. Before committing to art school, she practiced her craft daily and participated in arts camps during the summer. Much like Sherald, if you want success, you have to be committed to your craft

  • Seize as many opportunities as you possibly can.

Sherald apprenticed for art historians, curated for museums abroad, and she also lived and studied in Norway, China and Panama. She didn’t let distance keep her from seizing opportunities that brought her closer to her dream. Likewise, the opportunities we need are rarely in our own backyard: we have to seize them wherever they are, even if that takes us around the world and away from everything familiar.

  • Don’t allow discouragement to distract you.

Despite Sherald’s immense talent, her family wasn’t particularly supportive of her decision to be a full-time artist. In fact, it wasn’t until she won the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition that her mother view art as a viable career for Amy. Our loved ones mean well, but we may have to “tune out” their well-meaning advice that doesn’t bring us closer to what we want.

  • Be courageous enough to choose discomfort in service to your vision.

Sherald herself mentioned that she chose “discomfort” in order to create art that inspires. Discomfort means that we sacrifice certainty for the possibility of realizing our highest selves. Try a little discomfort to help you make strides toward your goal.

  • It’s never too late to be what you envision yourself to be.

Sherald was 42 when she won the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition. Dreams aren’t just for the young and wide-eyed: consistency and focus will bring you the success you desire, even if it’s a little later than you expected. By consistently following the previously mentioned steps, you’ll be prepared for your “big break” whenever it comes along.

Have you had a chance to check out Amy Sherald’s work? Let me know in the comments below!

festivals · luxury

Are You Derby-Ready?

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Can you believe that the Kentucky Derby is only a few days away? I love horses but I’ve never been to the Derby; however, I’m not letting anything get in the way of my Derby Day fun.

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For starters, I’m going to see whether I can make my way to a viewing party. But, if I can’t I’m going to create my own Derby fun at home. Here’s the plan for a Derby Day in:

  1. I will wear a pretty spring gown and a complementary fascinator. I will have a ball sticking to the “dress code” as outlined on the Kentucky Derby website.
  2. I will make myself a mint julep and sip it like a genteel lady. The Derby-approved mint julep recipe can be found here: Mint Julep.
  3. I’ll check out social media to see the photos of the Derby fashions.
  4. I’ll tune into NBC to watch the race.

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A mint julep

Are you going to the Derby? Or will you be attending a watch party? I’d love to hear your Derby Day plans!

food

My Secret Weapon for the Summer

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After the languishing winter we’ve had, I’ll admit that I’ve been anxiously awaiting warmer days. For one thing, I’m a summer baby, and so I feel like I come alive during the summer months. Secondly, the foods that are abundant during the summer – fresh fruits and vegetables – are my favorites. I love eating salads and drinking freshly made smoothies.

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Summer’s almost here!

This brings me to the topic of today’s post. I have had a handy gadget since the fall, and I’ve used it several times, though I’ve never mentioned it on this blog. This gadget is such a game changer for me: it’ll allow me to easily create the fresh smoothies that I want, anywhere and at any time. This gadget is my portable, personal blender.

Sadly, the one that I purchased in the fall is no longer available, but I’m linking a suitable alternative below. Just click here or on the picture to take a look at it.


I got my personal blender in pink, as well. This device is ingenius: it has a charging port that allows you to recharge the battery using your standard phone charger. Once the blender is charged, you can make smoothies without having to be bound to an electrical outlet. It’s small and lightweight, not to mention very cute. These blenders are powerful enough to turn fruit into smooth, creamy deliciousness.

Do you have a personal blender that you’d like to recommend? Let me know in the comments below!

 

culture · international · music

A Little Something for International Dance Day

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Happy Sunday friends! It’s been a while since I posted videos about music or dance, so it’s only fitting that I share something with you all for International Dance Day!

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I’m adding some videos demonstrating traditional African dances from several countries. I’ve discussed kizomba before, but Africa is a tremendously diverse continent and every country has something different to offer when it comes to dance. Here’s just a taste of African dance:

Angolan Kizomba and Semba: this mashup of clips gives you a glimpse into traditional Angolan dance. Fun, exuberant and flirty: what’s not to love?

Ethiopian/Eritrean Eskista: I don’t know what I love most about this video – the gorgeous hair, the joyful expressions or the fact that this reminds me of something that my friends and I would do when we get together. They’re not professionals, but they’re having fun!

Burundian/Rwandan Umushagiriro/Umushayayo: this is so graceful and elegant. I want to learn the dance and wear the traditional outfits daily. This dance is breathtakingly beautiful.

And just for fun, Ivorian Zaouli: this dance has been made into countless memes, but the truth is, it takes a LOT of stamina to do this. Enjoy!

What is your favorite international dance? Let me know in the comments below!

food · international

Review: Absolute Thai Restaurant

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A few days ago, I went out for lunch because, well, I needed a break from the office LOL! I decided to try Absolute Thai restaurant (which is different from Absolute Noodle, which I’ve reviewed previously). I figured I would treat myself, since I hadn’t gone there in years and I remember that I enjoyed their food before.

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The restaurant is conveniently located right behind the Verizon Center, at the corner of 6th and G Streets NW. It’s a 3 minute walk from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stop to the restaurant’s front door. Like many of the restaurant in this area, there isn’t a lot of interior space but the restaurant does a good job of maximizing what’s there.

The first issue was the time it took to be acknowledged by the staff. I waited at the door for at least 3 or more minutes while 3 waitstaff members were milling around and not looking toward the door. 3 minutes doesn’t seem like a lot, except standard restaurant procedure is to acknowledge guests within 30 seconds of arrival (that’s why most restaurants have a designated host/ess that spends the majority of the time at the door). The hostess was nowhere to be seen during the 12 o’clock hour (crazy, right?) I received no assurance that I would be helped momentarily, nor any other acknowledgement. I wasn’t acknowledged until two gentlemen arrived and, as they waited behind me, the staff must have assumed that we were all together, and then someone spoke to us.

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Gilded artwork in the restaurant

I ordered the Thai tea lemonade (basically, a Thai version of the Arnold Palmer or, if you’re from DC, a half-and-half),  tom yum goong soup and the “Jungle” entree, a mix of bamboo, eggplant, peppers, basil and green beans. I asked to reduce the heat of the entree from the standard “hot” level to “medium”.

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My yummy Thai tea lemonade

My tea lemonade arrived quickly. It was a little sweeter than I expected, but very good. Kudos to the restaurant for adding a moderate amount of ice – I really feel like I got a lot for the cost. The beverage was ample and tasty.

I then got my soup. It looked a little creamier than I anticipated, so I tasted it. I order tom yum but the server delivered tom kha (a coconut based soup). I actually like tom kha but I’m unable to eat a full-sized bowl because the coconut milk is a bit too rich for me. It took a moment, but the server returned and when I pointed out the error, she was pleasant and immediately returned it to the kitchen. My new soup arrived several minutes later, and it didn’t disappoint.

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The Jungle entree: this is where things started going downhill

Next was my entree which, I’ll admit, is when I realized that I may have to give my first negative restaurant review (I know, I’m shocked that I have to do it, too). The dish was far too spicy to be “medium”. I’ve eaten Thai food regularly for about 15 years, and I’ve eaten at a variety of Thai restaurants – including this one in the past! – so I have a good handle on spice levels. This dish had not been adjusted to medium-spicy level. When I pointed this out to the server, she didn’t seem to comprehend what I was saying, though she repeated my order back to me at the beginning of the meal. I could only take a few bites before I told her that I would take the entree back to my office and rinse off the spice, which is what I did. It was still a little hotter than my normal but at least the heat was tolerable after the rinsing.

Overall, the experience was just okay. The food was good and fresh, and the order arrived in a reasonable amount of time. But the time it took just to have a staff member acknowledge that I was there, and having two big food mistakes in one meal was a bit more than I’m willing to overlook. I don’t think I’ll be returning to Absolute Thai any time soon. After all, there are several other Thai restaurants in the area – and an overall plethora of them in DC – that will get my order correct on the first go round.

life curation

Live Your Best Life: Hobbies to Help You Heal

Mstldelano1 Comment

Happy Friday, friends! We made it through the week, and what a week it was. The East Coast is getting some truly spring-like weather, and I’m excited for the warmer days to come!

As you all have already seen, I’ve been sharing some of the things I used to help recover after devastating life events (for me, specifically, my divorce, but also the loss of several close family members and friends). In this post, I’m going to share some of the hobbies that helped me move through my pain and heal my heart.

For starters, I want to add a disclaimer: you can and should seek professional help if you want or need a qualified individual to help you with your problems. Nothing that I’m recommending should be considered a replacement for clinical treatments and professional counseling.

That being said, here are some of the hobbies I used during my recovery and how these hobbies helped me:

  • Enjoying art: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – art saved me from my darkest moments. Spending time in museums, creating my own art, and learning more about artists and their works helped me tremendously during my lowest points. There’s something very magical about being able to mentally “escape”, transcending time and space, as you view a piece of art. Also, creating art did wonders for helping me to work out some of my frustrations and to take the “sting” out of my losses.

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  • Traveling: One of my best friends advised taking a trip prior to any big decision, as the change in scenery and routine does wonders for giving you fresh perspective. During those painful years, I took several trips that helped me to clear my mind and reconnect to the joys that I experienced in years prior. Physically visiting different locations impacted me on levels that I couldn’t experience if I had stayed at home. Travel was wonderful for helping me to navigate my pain.

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  • Writing: To be honest, I couldn’t always verbalize my emotions. There were a lot of days where the feeling would be in my chest, even in my throat, but I couldn’t speak the pain that I felt. When my voice failed me, my pen was ever ready to capture the emotions that I felt but couldn’t vocalize. At one point, I wanted to reread my journal entries, but I have since decided against that.  Those journals have served their highest purpose already: they were my voice’s proxy. I am thankful for the ability to give myself some relief when I felt nothing but despair.

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  • Exercising: I’m not obsessive about fitness, but it was a mighty powerful tool that I used during my healing process. Aside from the physical effects (the release of endorphins that lifted my mood), the repetition of certain physical movements provided me with a rhythmic experience that required that I focus on the present moment and temporarily suspend my emotions. Exercise literally took my mind off of my problems, giving me some much needed relief.

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  • Fine dining/wine tasting: I’ve already shown my love and appreciation of good food and wine on this blog numerous times. However, I’ve never mentioned how much I employed these sensory pleasures during my healing phase. I learned about different cuisines and prepared 4 and 5 course meals at home. The discipline, effort and precision involved with designing and preparing elaborate meals was a satisfying creative effort. And trying new wines, while learning to hone in on the elements that I enjoy most, enhanced my dining experience. You have to be careful with this one: restraint and knowing your personal limits are key.

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Those are the hobbies that I used to help cope and heal from my pain. I hope that these may be helpful for lifting your spirits during the low times. Take care, and enjoy your weekend!

beauty

Beauty Review: Bea Luz Exfoliating Booties

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Hey friends! Sandal season will be here before you know it! To get summer-worthy feet, I knew I needed to intensify my moisture and exfoliation regimen. To really amp up the foot-softening process, I grabbed some exfoliating booties from Amazon.

You all know that I have an exfoliating routine that I’ve used successfully during the cold months. That routine really helped keep dry, rough skin to a minimum. But even the best maintenance can sometimes need a little “amping up”.

These exfoliating booties are similar to the Baby Feet products. These work by soaking your feet in a mild acid for 60 – 90 minutes. After soaking your feet, you remove the booties and rinse the solution off, moisturize and go about your day. In 2-4 days, you’ll see the beginnings of skin exfoliation.

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Foot (and polish!) goals

The product has a softly floral fragrance and feels cool on the feet. I put my feet into the booties then put a close-fitting sock over it, so that I could walk around while doing the treatment. While it felt weird, I was pleased that I could still move about as I let these exfoliants do the heavy lifting.

I will spare you my foot photos, but please know that I had lots of dead skin peeling off of my feet. It didn’t peel in the large sheets that I’ve seen others proudly post online, but the results were noticeable. I soaked my feet twice in the week after applying the treatment, and I used my Korean bath mitt to help slough off the dead skin. In less than two weeks, my feet were softer, smoother, and pretty much sandal ready! Needless to say, I was very pleased with the results.

I’ll be using this one more time at the beginning of May, just to make sure that my tootsies are flawless before Memorial Day. I’m excited to see how transformed my feet will be after this next treatment. The price is reasonable at $12.99 for two pairs of exfoliating bootles. I’m already ordering my next pair, so I can refresh the skin during the warm weather.

art

My Earliest Art Memories

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Happy Humpday! It’s the middle of the week, and I figure we could all use some light and breezy conversation. So I’m sharing my story – as best I can remember it – of my earliest art memories.

So, once upon a time, information wasn’t abundant and instantly at our fingertips. Way back before the Internet, there was the Encyclopedia. These massive tomes covered a ton of topics and every household that could afford them had a set. We had three sets, because as the information became outdated (these were print materials, after all), we had to occasionally replace them. One set that we had – the largest version – had spectacular photos. In this collection, I first became introduced to the fine arts.

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Ah, memories

Now, I was surrounded by art all of the time. My mom had a creative streak and my brother and I both sketched. But it wasn’t until I saw a painting in the encyclopedia that I knew that there was something very special about art. It impressed me so much that I remembered the name of the artist and the painting, more than 20 years after I first laid eyes on it.

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Portrait of Comtesse d’Haussonville by Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres took up nearly a whole page of the encyclopedia volume that I was perusing as a child. The countess appears to be looking directly at you, sizing you up but not in a disapproving way. She seems to be peering at you to figure out if she can share a confidence or two with you, or if she should refrain from chatting too much. She seemed so real, though I knew she was a painting of someone that died long before anyone that I knew had even been born.

Her strikingly elegant and self-possessed expression stuck with me all of these years. I guess you could say that this was the first time that art impacted me in a conscious way (though it was my encounter with a Gerome painting that first stirred any sort of strong emotion in me). It’s funny: after all this time, I’m still wondering if the Comtesse approves of me. Art has a peculiar way of making you think for years after the first encounter. Great art is memorable in the way that most of us strive to be in our daily lives.

That’s it for now. I hope you all enjoyed this post, and I hope that this Wednesday is fun and energizing for you all. Take care!

 

hollywood glamour · style

More Hollywood Glamour Ensembles

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This will be a short post today, as this is a busy week and I have to give a bit more attention to my “offline” life.

While looking up glamorous recreations of Hollywood fashions, I came across the PsychedelicPinup. This Etsy shop features some authentic vintage pieces as well as recreations of familiar designs (as seen in classic movies). One of my favorites from the shop was the recreation of Marilyn Monroe’s fur-trimmed jacket from her movie Niagara.

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There’s also this beautiful orange top which looks identical to one that Marilyn wore in a photo shoot in 1962.

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Even if you don’t see any styles that you simply *must* have right now, you may want to save PsychedelicPinup in your Favorites, just in case that ensemble of your dreams becomes available. Many of the designs are one of kind, so if you see something you love, snap it up quickly!

 

 

reading list

May’s Reading Selection

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Happy Monday, friends! I’m excited to step into another week full of possibility and fun. I hope you all take full advantage of all of the good things that await you if you are BOLD enough to seize the day!

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May is shaping up to be quite an exciting month, so I want a book that keeps in step with that high energy but also reflect my goal of making 2018 the best year of my life. The May reading selection is The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. I’ve read this one several years ago but I rushed through it. This time, I really want to pace myself and take in the lessons.

The past few weeks have been a bit more stressful than normal. Despite participating in the Joy Challenge and actively cultivating joy in my daily life, I feel like my creativity is suffering a bit (not to mention my dissatisfaction with my job is increasing).  My hope is that this reading selection will help me to get back in touch with my creative “fire” as well as align me with better options for either eliminating or minimizing my dissatisfaction. If any of you have experienced similar feelings of frustration and stagnation, it may be worth check out this book, as well. I’ve linked the book above, so if it interests you, go ahead and pick it up!